Chapter Thirty-Four
The thick haze clouding Emily’s mind began to dissipate. It was as if she were waking up from a deep sleep. She found herself standing in a large terminal, the widest and biggest she’d ever seen. A woman on the intercom announced the next train departure and platform number. The station had bright lights, a high ceiling, and tall arches in the back, probably leading to the platforms, she guessed. Young men and women dressed in dark blue uniforms held iPads or some sort of tablet. They looked like valet attendants talking to individuals. Emily blinked repeatedly to ensure she was in fact seeing everything clearly and she wasn’t in a dream.
Andrew had told her what it had been like when he’d entered heaven. Now that she was standing in the middle of the terminal, she couldn’t believe it. She marveled at the grandeur. Andrew hadn’t been telling her stories, not that she’d thought he’d had, but the fantastical world he described seemed just that—a fantasy land. But she’d made it. He’d come through on his promise to bring her to heaven. Elation blossomed within her until she realized she must have died on Earth.
“Welcome, can I get your name, please?” asked a young gal with long, wavy, black hair and tanned skin. She stood several inches shorter than Emily and had dark-brown eyes.
“My name?” Emily asked as if she hadn’t understood the question.
“Do you remember it?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s Penny Reynolds.”
While the lady tapped on her pad, Emily gazed around the room. After people spoke to the uniformed staff, they walked toward the tall archways.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not finding anyone by that name,” the gal said.
Still a bit disoriented, Emily rubbed her temple. She’d used her alias on Earth all the time. The surname had come from Andrew’s alias after they’d married. Maybe he’d informed the powers that be of her real first name.
“Can you try Emily Reynolds?” Emily asked.
The gal tapped at her screen. Her brows closed in together. “Sorry, but that’s not coming up either. Were you married?”
“Yes.”
“What is your husband’s name?”
Since she’d given Andrew’s alias, she decided to try the name given to him at birth. “His name is Andrew Webster.”
“And your first name is…”
“Emily.”
The brown-eyed girl’s fingers moved quickly on the screen. She paused and smiled. “Found you.”
Emily inhaled a relieving breath as the gal turned slightly and pointed.
“You’ll want to proceed to the trains. Stay to your far left and continue. Your platform is number seventeen. Your train leaves in ten minutes,” she said.
“Will my husband be picking me up?”
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any of that type of information.”
“He is here though, right?”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t check.”
Emily pressed her lips together, frustrated with the lack of information the gal had. Andrew had complained before how people in heaven seemed less than forthcoming with details. “Thank you.”
The young woman smiled. “Good luck, Mrs. Webster.”
Emily passed her and headed for the open archways. She thought it unusual heaven had her listed under Andrew’s real surname, but they were married. Maybe the people in charge liked to keep accurate records.
Reaching the platform, she turned to the left and kept walking. Since she’d started out at the first one, she guessed she had sixteen to go. She wondered what would happen if she missed her train. Curious to see where she was going and eager to find Andrew, she strode at a steady pace.
People of all ages were either standing around or sitting on benches. The scene reminded her of the subway in Chicago, except this station had far less the amount of individuals waiting for their ride. Chicago’s stops seldom had less than five people waiting.
Although her mind still felt a bit foggy, her memories started to sharpen. She recalled being in a car crash and seeing Steven. She remembered her hand being stuck. Pausing, she lifted her hands. She had both. She looked lower and saw her baby bump had disappeared. She’d been certain Matt had cut her right hand to free her from the car wreckage. Stranger yet, she wore black tights and her favorite red floral dress that reached her kneecaps. Who decided what clothes she should wear?
“Are you okay, Miss?” a uniformed thin lady asked with a British accent. She had long, blonde hair and blue eyes.
“Yeah, I think so. I have two hands.”
She grinned. “The policy states anyone who lost a limb or even a toe, finger, or eye, would have it returned.”
“I like that policy.”
“Of course. Do you know where you’re heading?”
“Yes, number seventeen.” Emily pointed ahead.
“Good luck, Miss,” the gal said with a curt nod.
“Thank you.”
Emily continued along the platform stupefied. Not only had she’d made it to heaven, she had both her hands. Heaven’s policy seemed all right. She managed to recall some of the details Andrew had shared with her. Most didn’t seem too bad now that she thought about them, but having to survive without television for eternity might be a struggle for a while. At least they had libraries, concerts, and theatres.
She reached her destination and stepped onto the idle train. The majority of seats were vacant with less than ten sitting. She sat on a bench near the middle.
Staring out the window, her thoughts returned to her last memories. They were sketchy, but she remembered lying on her back and Matt holding her hand. The doctor had pressed him to find out if Matt were related to her. She’d squeezed his hand, hoping he’d lie so he could stay with her. After he’d told the doctor he was the father of her child, the doc cut her open. She’d seen Matt cry and had thought her baby had died until she heard the cry. It was the sweetest and most innocent sound she’d heard. She knew in an instant she’d had a girl. Matt had confirmed her belief when he’d showed her the beautiful little babe she and Andrew had created.
The train jerked, stealing her form her memory. It began to move and a young boy standing on the platform waved. The older couple sitting in the back responded in kind.
Clear of the station, the train accelerated. For a few miles she saw vast grassy land. But not far ahead she eyed a thick, white fog. The engine hummed softly as they entered the cloud. She recalled Andrew had said he couldn’t see anything beyond the mist while he traveled on the train.
Emily’s anxiety rose in line and she gripped the edges of the seat. So much had happened so fast. The crash. The birth. And now she was in heaven and would soon see the wonderful man she loved with all her heart. Yes, she missed her baby. She wished she could’ve held it. She wished she could’ve watched her grow up and help teach her. But at least her daughter had survived and Matt would protect her. Emily had no doubt he would make a great father.
Emily couldn’t help but wonder if the people in charge had planned for her to die and Matt take over as caregiver since he couldn’t have children of his own. He’d told her he believed people were brought together for a reason. She understood his words more now than ever before.
She shook her head in disbelief as she stared at the fog. She’d never thought she’d make it to heaven. She’d never thought she’d see Andrew again. She’d prayed for his return for the longest time, and when he’d never shown up, she’d almost given up on hope and faith. Her anger had led her astray. She’d blamed the people in charge and God. How foolish of her. What a huge mistake. Her entrance to heaven had to have come from her husband’s efforts. If only she’d known what was in store for her and her baby…
She had to let all her guilt and regrets go. She couldn’t change the past. The future of her child rested with Matt. She knew he would take good care of her baby. He’d bring her to church, protect her like the soldier he was, and teach her to do good. Her baby was in good hands. She hoped she could find a way to visit her one day.
As for her future, she couldn’t wait to see her husband. She had so many questions. But the first thing she wanted to do was embrace and kiss him. She missed him so much her eyes filled with tears thinking about him. She’d made it. To him. Forever.
The hum of the train lessened. In a flash, the white cloud disappeared. They were traveling toward a town. Not too far away on the right side she saw a sandy beach. She rose and peered closer. The ocean looked less than a mile away. Her eyes widened and her lips stretched. She suspected Andrew kept his word about finding a beach home for her.
Miles later, the whistle blew and metal squealed as the train slowed. Spotting a station, Emily crossed the aisle to the bench on the other side. The building with a deep-red roof looked old and run down with faded bricks and mildew-covered gutters. One hung low on the side. Only a handful of people stood on the platform. They all had grins on their faces. She searched the area for Andrew, but she couldn’t see him.
The train jerked when it came to a stop. She watched everyone on board rise from their seats and then head to the exits. Although she hadn’t known for certain if she’d reached her destination, she decided to get off the train too. The gal at the station hadn’t told her where she was heading. Confused, Emily hoped to find Andrew waiting inside.
Emily passed the men and women hugging and greeting each other and headed to the single door on the building. Fear crept within her. If Andrew was there, she suspected he would’ve met her on the platform.
She stepped inside the station. Immediately, she was taken back by the emptiness and smell of mildew. Maps on the wall behind glass reminded her of visitor posts off the highway. Brochures stuck up from a shelf. The restrooms and water fountain were easy to spot. To her left, she spotted a door with a sign and headed toward it. The sign read Office. A white piece of paper had been posted to the door. The note read the office was closed permanently.
“Great,” she said to herself.
She strode to the maps on the wall. One of them showed the entire state of North Carolina. She crossed her arms as she studied it. A star near the eastern seaboard led her to believe she’d arrived in a town called Southport, not too far south from Wilmington.
The door opened and the people from the platform, along with the ones from the train, entered the building. They chatted as they headed to the main exit. Movement from the window caught her attention. The train was leaving.
Emily’s eyes widened. After the last person stepped into the room, she left out the door to the platform. The tail end of the train had already cleared the building.
Emily tossed her arms up. She had no idea if she should’ve gotten off the train or not. Nobody had told her where she needed to be or where to meet Andrew. Where was he, anyway? Wouldn’t somebody have told him about her arrival? Who ran a train station without telling people their destination?
Frustrated, she returned inside the building. Again, it was empty. She exited through the front and saw a cab parked on the lot. A man from the train was preparing to sit in the backseat. Two other taxis were heading for the main road. She stopped on the concrete porch and watched the last cab drive away.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said.
She lifted a hand above her eyes to shield them from the bright rays. The scene reminded her of an apocalyptic movie. She couldn’t see any houses or cars near the road. There was nothing in sight for miles except for electrical poles and the ocean further back on the other side of the street. She was completely alone.
Sighing, she stepped down from the porch and into the warm sun. Her concern grew fast. She had no means of transportation or communication. How was she going to find Andrew?
She reached the road and ran a hand through her long hair as she glanced in each direction. She tried to decide if she should go left or right. Anger on the rise, she gazed up at the sky. “Okay, I’m sorry for the things I said on Earth. It was wrong, and I take it all back. You obviously had a plan, and I should’ve had faith everything would work out.” She paused, sighing. “Now that I’m here, couldn’t you have sent Andrew to get me? Is this your way of getting back at me for what I said? Or is this a joke? If it is, it’s not funny.”
She crossed her arms and paced on the pavement. Maybe a car would come by and she could catch a ride to the nearest town. After several minutes of walking around, her patience ended. She needed to find Andrew and she was on her own.
Arms at her sides, she strode in the direction the taxis had gone. She moved closer to the edge of the rode in case, by some chance, a car would show up. She’d never hitchhiked before, but since she was in heaven, she didn’t fear a murderer or rapist offering her a ride.
The sun warmed her face and arms. She couldn’t allow this little hiccup to ruin her mood. Andrew had to be nearby. As soon as she found him, they could spend eternity in each other’s arms. Now that sounded like heaven.
Minutes later she heard a faint voice. She slowed her pace. When she heard the voice again, she spun around. Heat waves rolled on the pavement. In the distance in the middle of the road she saw something drawing near. It had to be a person and he or she wasn’t on a bike. They were moving too slow.
“Emily!” the person called out.
Excitement flooded her. She thought she’d heard Andrew’s voice. She put her hand above her eyes and peered closer. She couldn’t make out who the person was riding the bicycle.
“Emily!”
Recognizing Andrew’s voice, she started running.
Tears began to build in her eyes as she could see him clearer on the bike. Clean-shaven, muscular, and with short, dark locks, he looked exactly as she remembered him. The large damp spot around the collar and center of his gray shirt led her to believe he’d been sweating for a while. She’d waited so long to see him again, too long to touch and kiss him. Now that she could do all that and more, she’d take full advantage every day.
Breathing fast, she slowed her pace as he approached at a quicker speed. She found herself at a loss for words. So much love filled her. So much joy. She had him. In heaven. Happily ever after did exist.
She brought her hands up to her face and couldn’t hold back from crying. He braked and the tires skidded. He jumped off the bike and let it fall to the ground. He rushed toward her with his arms open.
She leaped into his embrace and locked her arms around his neck.
“It’s you. It’s really you,” he said, squeezing the life out of her.
She gasped, trying to breathe. Everything seemed so unreal. “Tell me I’m not dreaming. Please tell me I’m here.”
He set her on the ground and took her face into his hands. Tears had built in his eyes. “It’s not a dream. You’re with me in heaven and I’m never letting you go. Never.”
When he pressed his lips to hers, she liquefied. For the longest time, she’d doubted she’d see him. Now she had him in her grasp. Forever. Her prayers had been answered.
Her days of sorrow and misery were history. The future called for endless love and happiness from the man her heart and soul yearned for. She was more than ready to start now.